Norled AS won the contract and will provide transportation by express boat for the routes:
- Route 800 Trondheim – Kristiansund
- Route 805 Trondheim – Brekstad
- Route 810 Trondheim – Vanvikan
The contract between AtB and Norled AS was signed on October 14, 2022 and lasts until April 24, 2030 and with a 4-year conditional option given the achievement of environmental goals and unilaterally 1 year for AtB.
– “We are proud and very pleased that AtB, together with Norled, can offer a far better travel experience for passengers and with major environmental savings. Brand new, state-of-the-art vessels with plenty of space and large windows will make the journey more comfortable, quiet and environmentally friendly,” says Fuglem Tennås.
On the Trondheim – Kristiansund route (route 800), two brand new electric vessels will be deployed. Compared to today, the aim is to reduce CO2 emissions on the route by up to 70 percent. The Trondheim – Brekstad route (route 805) will also have a new electric vessel. Here
the emission reduction is up to 80 percent compared to the current solution. During the start-up period, the connections will be operated by alternative vessels until the new boats are in place in 2024.
– “Enova’s role is to support those who take the lead, and emissions from the transport sector must be reduced if we are to make the transition to a low-emission society. Trøndelag County Council is taking important steps to
establish an infrastructure for charging express boats on the Trondheim-Brekstad and Trondheim-Vanvikan stretches,” says Gunnel Fottland, Market Manager for Maritime Transport at Enova.
On the route Trondheim – Vanvikan (route 810), the vessel MS Tidevind will be converted to battery hybrid operation. This will reduce Co2 emissions on the route by almost 100 percent compared to today.
– “We are very pleased to win the tender with a future-oriented express boat concept that includes energy-efficient vessel design and our new battery swap solution SHIFTR. The express boat concept will be able to reduce CO2 emissions by 15,000 tons annually compared to traditional diesel operation. We look forward to working with AtB to deliver sustainable and great travel experiences,” says Heidi Wolden, CEO of Norled.
– Trøndelag County Council has worked for many years to facilitate a technological shift in the express boat market. We have done this in close collaboration with the Norwegian Environment Agency’s climate initiative. We are pleased that Norled, Enova and AtB have now made this possible,” says Konrad Pütz, Director of Transport at Trøndelag County Council.
